Jewish World Review Jan. 23, 2004 / 29 Teves, 5764

Lloyd Grove

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Consumer Reports


Eyebrow-raising mystery; who's punk'd anyway?; don't curb your enthusiasm; more


http://www.jewishworldreview.com | NEW YORK — What killed Olivia Goldsmith?


The best-selling author of "The First Wives Club" was only 54 when she walked into Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital two weeks ago for a run-of-the-mill "neck lift."


Ever since her shocking death on Jan. 15 — a week after suffering a heart attack on the operating table and slipping into a coma — the mystery has riveted the fashionable ladies who lunch from the Upper East Side to Palm Beach.


"Everyone is wondering who the doctor was," a member of this charmed set told this column Thursday.


These wealthy women of a certain age — for whom facelifts and Botox shots are as routine as a manicure — are now shying away from the scalpel. "I was thinking of having something done, but now I'm not going to," one social doyenne confided. "It makes you worry."


In Goldsmith's case, she was scheduled for a relatively risk-free procedure to remove excess skin under her chin. But something went wrong when she was put under anesthesia.


Now her attorney, Steven Mintz, is trying to find out what. "What I'm doing is what any thoughtful, caring attorney would do," he said. "In due course, we will investigate and we'll take whatever steps we deem appropriate. . . . All these things have a process, and we will follow normal process."


Reps for both Goldsmith's estate and the hospital are keeping the doctor's identity under wraps for now. But Mintz noted that several of his late client's fictional female characters undergo plastic surgery to change their lives or win back lost loves.


But none dies under the knife.

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WHO'S PUNK'D ANYWAY?


Everything seemed friendly during Katie Couric's interview with Ashton Kutcher, who appeared on the "Today" show Wednesday to tout his new movie "The Butterfly Effect."


But then, with a minute to go, things suddenly got very icy between the NBC News star and the 25-year-old Kutcher, host of MTV's celebrity practical-joke show, "Punk'd."


The tension started when Couric asked with a smile: "I have to ask you about Demi Moore — how's that going?"


In response, Kutcher stared back at her unhappily.


"See, this is exactly why I wanted to do the interview with Matt," he spat. "You said you weren't going to ask about this!"


Couric's smile faded as Kutcher, waving his arms, continued bitterly, "See that's what I'm talking about." Then he stood up and reached to remove his microphone while walking off the set.


Eyes wide, Couric pleaded: "Wait. Wait. Wait. No, no, no, no, no. I'm sorry."


Kutcher sat back down. "See, that's uncomfortable — being punk'd!"


"Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha," a relieved-looking Couric said. "Ashton, Ashton!"


But it turns out that the viewers were the ones who got punk'd. Couric and Kutcher cooked up the whole scheme beforehand. Couric told me, through a spokeswoman, "I love 'Punk'd.' I've always wanted to punk Matt."


Alas, "Today" co-host Matt Lauer wasn't even watching.


THE BRIEFING


DON'T CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: Democratic loyalist Laurie David, wife of HBO star Larry David, has recruited an impressive array of celebs to host a Feb. 4 strategy session in New York on how to effect regime change at the White House. Among the confirmed participants, Mrs. David told me, are Michael Douglas, Michael Moore, Meryl Streep, Harvey Weinstein, Jann Wenner and Viacom exec Tom Freston — and they better show up, she added. "The punishment for people who don't show up is that you're never allowed to complain again about anything this administration is doing." The event at the Ethical Culture Society will feature former Bill Clinton aide Harold Ickes, who is trying to raise $140 million for anti-Bush media.


OUR FINAL TRISTA REHN ITEM?: TV Guide reports that she's apparently experiencing severe publicity withdrawal since the hoopla over "The Bachelorette" died, leaving her to confront her life as a Colorado housewife married to firefighter Ryan Sutter. Sources claim that Rehn, through her reps, is pestering an unidentified network in hopes of getting her lowkey hubby a TV acting gig. "She thinks he'd make a great actor," an insider said. TV Guide quips: "We agree: He's been doing a bang-up job these past few months acting like his better half isn't an attention-crazed prima donna."



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Up

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07/24/03: Ali and George, living it up; Mel Gibson's Washington power play
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07/10/03: A hairy situation at Homeland Security; Van Susteren v. Orth
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© 2003, Creators Syndicate